Faith & Love: A One Year Bible Reading Plan - Part 4Sample

We often use today's verse to show the importance of being dependent on God. For sure, that is a very important truth. But let us also look at it from another angle. Not the angle of good advice – here is something you ought to do, but of good news. News is a happening, and the good news is a positive happening that includes you.

In the Old Testament, God described His covenant people as blessed. The purpose of the covenant was that God would bless all the nations of the world through Israel. Blessed to be a blessing, Israel was to be a light for the world. Matthew tells how Jesus fulfils this covenant promise.

Now we’ve heard Jesus announce the good news of the arrival of God’s kingdom in Matthew chapter 4. After that, He appointed 12 leaders. This showed that Jesus was reconstituting God’s people around Himself. He was starting the new covenant movement.

So, who are the “Blessed” covenant people now? Who will be the light for this world? Jesus announces: The mourners, the meek, the hunger-for-justice people, the peacemakers, the pure in heart, the persecuted: the poor in spirit people. Not the people that any kingdom of that time, or ours, would send out to be their representatives. But God’s kingdom is turning things the right side up through people you would not expect. Because you believe in Jesus, the good news is: God has made you part of this covenant movement. God’s blessing is on you as you learn from Jesus about His “other-way-around” kingdom.